Surrounded!

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses…”

There are two types of “surrounded”.   There is “come out with your hands up.  We’ve got you surrounded“.  You might as well give up because there is no way out.  Then there is, “When I was going through a rough time I was surrounded by friends and family and it made all the difference.”  This is the surrounded that we love to experience.   The support and warmth of those we love.

As we said before, this Scripture comes after a lengthy list of the heroes of faith that have gone before.  We are surrounded in a way that has several implications for us on our spiritual journey.

First, it does have a little bit of the first meaning that I mentioned.  We cannot get away from the fact that we are surrounded by a faith heritage that has come before us, is going on around us and will follow us in the lives of others to come.  What?  “Maybe I don’t want to be a part of this.  I just want to be by myself and give it my best shot on my own.”  Sorry…I got news for you…you are surrounded…come out with your hands up.  This is the surrender to the life that Jesus has called you to.  Whether you like it or not, you are connected to the past and have a part in the future.  It’s God’s design

It also carries the second meaning I referred to.  We are not alone in this world and we are not alone in our walk with the Lord.  Many have gone before you and their testimony can serve as encouragement and strength for you.  Be strong and courageous!  You are not the first to encounter challenges in your walk of faith and you won’t be the last.   You are surrounded by the testimonies of the past and the support of those who are walking with you right now.  In fact, our lives will give encouragement to those who come later as well.  So, be encouraged…you are surrounded.

There is a third meaning that I think is here as well that I will offer you.  This Scripture is a mandate for us to continue the faith and not break the chain that has been forged from the beginning.  In other words, we are being passed the baton of the Gospel to carry for those who have run before us and, therefore, we have the responsibility to pass it on to those who will follow us.  Yes, this can be overwhelming, but that is the beauty of the following verses…”throw off…lay aside…fix your eyes on Jesus”.

I want to inform you today…You are surrounded!  There is no way around it so give up to God’s plan for your life.  You are surrounded and therefore not alone in this race set before us.  You are surrounded and have received the baton from those who have run before and you must pass it on to the next runner.